Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-09-09

For the encouragement OF For
est Culture and Providing
Penalties for the Injury
and Destruction OF
Forests.

CECTfON l. BE it enacted, DC, That, in
consideration of the public beaeft t0 be
derived from the planting end cuitiva-
tion Of forest or timber trees, The owner OF
owners of any land in this Commonwealth b
PLANTED with forest or timber trees. ia num-
her not less than twelve hundred to the acre,
shall on making due proof ttherrof, be enti-
tied to receive, annually, from the Commits
sioners of their respective counties, during
the period that the said trees are maintained
in sound condition upon the said land, the
following sums of money:
For a period of ten years after the land has
been so planted, sum equal to ninety per
centum OF all the taxes annually assessed and
paid upon the said land, or so much Of the
said ninety per centum as shall not exceed
the sum of forty cents per acre.
For a second period of ten years, q sum
equal to eighty per centum OF the SAID taxes
or SO much of the said eighty per centum as
shall not exceed the sum of forty cents Per
acre.
For a third and final period of ten years, q
sum equal to fifty per ceutum OF the said
taxes. or so much Of the said fifty per centum
Us shall not exceed the sum Of twenty FIVE
cents per acre.
Pray.ded, That it shall he lawful for the
owner or owners of the said land. after the
same has been so planted for at least ten
years, TO thin ont and reduce the number Of
trees STO"lDp lEeICOD 10 Ect lSSS IG11 SIX
hundred to the acre, so long as 40 portion of
the said land shall he absolutely cleared of
the saiu trees: And proUided also, That the
benefits Of this act shall not be extended 10
nurserymen or Others growing trees for sale
for future planting.
SECTION 2. The OwEel or owners Of forest
or timber land in this Commonwealth, which
has been cleared of merchan;ahle timber.
who shall within one year after the said ]aud
has been so cleared have given notice 10 the
commissioners of their respective counties
that the said land is to be maintained in tim
Der, and shall maintain upon the said land
young forest or timber trees in souui condi-
ton, in number at least twelve hundred to
the acre, shall on mrking due proof thereof,
be entitled to receive, annually, from the
comm issioners of their respective counties,
the sums of money mentioned in the 1st sec
ton of this act: PrOUided, that the first per.
iod of ten years shall be counted from the
time that the said land has been cleared of
merchantahle timber, and, that after the
said first period OF ten years, the number OF
trees upon the said land may be reduced as iu
the said first section Is provided.
SECTION 3. Any person or persons who
shall wilfully or oarelessly cut bark from OF
otherwise cut, burn, or injure any tree plant,
shrub or sprOut, planted, growing, or being
on land of this Commonwealth, without the
had and obtained, Or who, without such con.
sent, shall kindie, or cause To he kindled,
fire on any forest or timber land in thi Com
molWealth, or who shall carry into or over
any forest or timbsr land any Ii ighted
candle, lamp, torch, or other fire, without
having the same secured in lantern or other
closed vessel or who shall discharge or set
off fire works of any kind on said land, or
among the trees thereon, or who shall will
fully or carelessly barn or fra upon his or
their own land, or that of others, any tree,
brush, stubble or other combustible material
whereby fire shall be communicated to The
leaves, brush, or timber upon any forest or
timber land belonging to other parties shall
be subject to a penalty of fifty dollars for
each otfense committed. with cost Of suit; one
half to go to the party o. parties injured, aud
the other aalf to the school fund of the dis
trict in which said offense was comm itted:
Prooidcd, That if the defendant, or defend
ants, neglect or refuse to pay at once the pen
atty imposed and costs, or shall not enter suf-
fcient bail tor the payment of the same with
in ten days, he or they shall be committed 10
the common Jail Of said county fer a period
OF not less than one day for each dollar OF the
penalty imposed: And provided, When the
penalty imposed is above five dollars, the de-
fendant, or defendants, may enter into re-
cognizance, with good security, to answer
said complaint on charge of misdemeauor
before the court Of quarter of sessions in
which the offense is committed, which court,
on conviction Of the defendant or defendants
of the oGense so charged, ard failure to pay
the penalty imposed by this act with costs,
shall commit said defendant or defendants to
the common Jail of the county for period OF
not less than one day for each dollar of pen
atty imposed.
SECTION 4. Any justice of the peace or
alderman, upon information or complaint
made before him, by the affidavit Of one or
more persons. Of the violation of this act by
any persoa of pelsOns, shall issue his war
wFant TO any constable or police officer, to
| cause such person or persons to be arrested
and brought before the said justice Of the
peace or alderman, who shall hear and deter
mine the guilt or innocence of tho person or
persons so charged, who if convicted of the
said oaense, shall be sentenced to pay the
penalty aforesaid.
SECTION 5. The commissioners of each
county shall within one month, after the
passage of this act canse the same to be pub
lished one or more times in one newspaper of
general circulation in their respective coun-
ties
APPROVED: The lat day of June. AID. 1887.
JAMES 4. BEAVER.